Scarefest 2016

Building on the success of the previous year’s event, Scarefest 2016 saw the addition of a new scare maze, Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skin Snatchers, a new scare zone, Freak Show, and for the first time in the event’s history the line-up also included a family maze, House of Monsters. All of the mazes carried an additional charge, whilst the scare zones remained free and accessible to all.

Dates: 8th-9th, 15th-16th & 21st-31st October

Battle Galleons, Skyride and the Gardens shut at dusk.
CBeebies Land & Cloud Cuckoo Land closed at 7pm.
Other rides shut at 9pm daily.

Scare Mazes
Combined park and maze entry – £50.00

Single Ticket – £8.00
Double Ticket – £15.00
Combi Ticket – £20.00

House of Monsters – £5.00

Thrill Attractions
Altonville Mine Tours
Sub Species: The End Games
Terror of the Towers
Freak Show
Dark Apocalypse

Family Attractions
House of Monsters
Franklyn’s Freaky Fun Zone
Halloween Characters
Patch’s Trick or Treat Party
Phil and Franklyn’s Ghoul School
Skelvin’s Spooky Storytime
Alton Ancestors
Gloomy Wood ALIVE

New for 2016 was Altonville Mine Tours: Uncover the Legend of the Skin Snatchers which was set in the disused mines of Altonville where guests were taken deep into the mineshafts to discover the truth behind the stories that it was once home to a family of outcasts who harboured a dark secret. The maze received much praise for its extensive theming and for its use of helmet mounted lights, provided by Haunted Lantern. The lights were remotely controlled so that at various points throughout the maze they would flicker or turn off completely, adding to the sense of tension and anticipation about where the next scare would come from. In fact the maze was awarded Best Halloween Scare Attraction at the 2017 ScareCON SCAR awards, while Haunted Lantern received the Award for Technical Excellence.

Given its overwhelming success after debuting during Scarefest 2015, it was no surprise that Sub Species: The End Games returned for a second year. Once again guests descended deep underground to a post-apocalyptic sewer system, where their group would become contestants in The End Games, with the sewer-dwellers betting on their survival as they chose their own route in an attempt to avoid the creatures that chased after them. Some changes were made to the maze for the 2016 event, with some improved scenes and the removal of the alien nest ending, meaning the maze no longer had its claim of two endings as it had in 2015.

Terror of the Towers: What Lies Within returned for another Scarefest, with guests following in the footsteps of the missing urban explorers once more which meant navigating the same route as 2015, although the route through the chapel scene was revised to allow for the removal of the elevated walkway.

The Resort continued with the scare zone format introduced in 2015, although did add a new scare zone, Freak Show, on the pathway between the Hospitality Suite and X Sector. A travelling side-show of circus rejects had descended upon the Resort, with only the bravest guests daring to walk amongst the freakishly fascinating misfits, desperate for their undivided attention.

The return of Dark Apocalypse saw a deadly virus spread across Forbidden Valley again where the infected showed signs of highly aggressive behaviour and rapid physical decomposition. Phalanx control quarantined the area, however a recent security breach questioned their ability to contain the virus and keep society safe. Come Scarefest 2017, it was evident that the virus had been successfully contained, with the scare zone not returning for third year.

Scarefest 2016 saw the Resort add a new type of attraction to the line-up, that being the family maze, House of Monsters. The attraction was set in the former Wobble World building and saw guests join a monster hunting vlogger on his quest to discover the truth about residents of a disused house. Using a room by room walkthrough format, guests made their way through a series of rooms, each one occupied by one of the residents of the house, who would give guests interactive tasks to complete in order to progress through the attraction. With all of the rooms themed to an incredibly high level of detail and a duration of approximately 25-30 minutes long, many surprisingly regarded it as one of the best attractions that Scarefest has seen.

The Freaky Four returned with Franklyn’s Freaky Fun Zone, which was located on the Front Lawns as it had been during 2015. Skelvin needed younger guests’ help to choose his Halloween costume in Skelvin’s Spooky Storytime. In Phil & Franklyn’s Ghoul School, guests joined Phil in reminding Franklyn how to spook. Then everyone was invited to Patch’s Trick-Or-Treat Party for the best Halloween ever, with a show that the whole family could dance along to. The Alton Ancestors also returned with their trademark flash-mobs on Towers Street in the morning, before moving to bring Gloomy Wood ALIVE during the afternoon and evening.

Unlike during previous events there was no overnight or late night experience available during Scarefest 2016, with the escape room experience, Sub Species: Operation Lockdown, not returning for a second year.

Over at the Resort’s accommodation there was a variety of entertainment suitable for guests of all ages. The Fabulous Scott Family appeared nightly in the Alton Towers Hotel in The Sinister Scott Family: Feeding Frenzy, that was guaranteed to get guests on their feet and dancing the night away. In Splash Landings Hotel, Día de Muertos led a spectacular party inspired by Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations! There was also a Magical Mayhem Magic Show in the Alton Towers Hotel, Ringo’s Halloween Party Games every evening in Splash Landings Hotel, and Enchanted Village guests were able to participate in a range of activities every afternoon and evening, including Spell School, Face Painting and Creepy Crawly Critters.